True Story Theater was launched in 2001 by director Christopher Ellinger. Our ensemble of 25 multi-talented performers include actors, dancers, singers and musicians. In our “day jobs” we are counselors, administrators, nonprofit directors, radio producers, scientists, researchers and more. Since six of us perform at any given time, one of the delights of seeing repeated True Story shows is the ever-changing casts and the different talents we bring. We hold auditions once or twice a year.

Meet Our Troupe

Ajay Jain

Ajay grew up in Calcutta, India where he started acting in college to overcome shyness and stage fright. He has acted in dozens of plays in India and US and in English and Hindi. When not acting, he manages operations for an IT Staffing company and enjoys his time with his family. He also volunteers for Art of Living foundation.

True Story Theater

https://www.facebook.com/amber.espar

Amber Espar

works on business and partnership building for True Story Theater, teaches creative movement and ecology classes, and coordinates creative exchanges with Playback North America. She is a certified Dynamic Embodiment somatic movement educator.

True Story Theater

https://www.facebook.com/anne.ellinger.9

Anne Ellinger

has been part of True Story Theater from the start. She and husband Christopher (True Story’s Director) cofounded Bolder Giving, a national initiative that promotes the stories of extraordinary givers. She is part of the team helping to launch Playback North America.

True Story Theater

https://www.facebook.com/anniehoffman.yoga

Annie Hoffman

Annie Hoffman is an Iyengar yoga teacher and manager of Art and Soul – a space in Cambridge MA for creative/expressive arts. Her son Adrian is a professional dancer.

True Story Theater

http://www.linkedin.com/in/aridanielshapiro

Ari Daniel

Ari tells stories for a living, reporting on science for NOVA and public radio. His grandmother turned him onto the world of theater in middle school, and it has been a passion of his ever since.

True Story Theater

Benjamin Warren

completed his masters in Mental Health Counseling, with a concentration in Expressive Art Therapy at Lesley University this May. He likes to bring imaginal thinking to the masses through mime performances and by drawing with strangers.

True Story Theater

Brandon Sloan

is a dancer, writer and bodyworker originally from Philadelphia PA. He is currently in school completing his clinical doctorate degree in physical therapy. In his free time he is probably wondering what all the craziness is about.

True Story Theater

https://www.facebook.com/caitlin.green.96

Caitlin Green

is a graduate of Emerson College in Theatre Education/Acting. she produced and performed “Seed of Spirit GenY,” a one woman interactive piece. Caitlin is also a yoga teacher.

True Story Theater

Caryn May

Caryn is an actor, singer, dancer (in that order) and passionate about the power of empathy and clear communication to empower and heal. She grew up in Virginia Beach, VA and recently earned her Masters degree in Dramatic Arts from Harvard Extension School. www.carynmay.com

True Story Theater

Charles Metellus

is a trained actor and drama therapist. He graduated from the Montreal Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in 2007 and from Concordia University graduate school in Montreal in 2015.

True Story Theater

Christopher Ellinger

founded True Story Theater in 2001. He brings to his leadership over 30 years as a nonprofit founder and executive director. Before focusing on his passion for the arts, he was a national presenter and award-winning author on philanthropy promotion and co-founder of BolderGiving.org.

True Story Theater

Emily Burkes-Nossiter

is a mother, teacher, artist, dancer, drama therapist, and gardener. She holds a BA in sociology from Columbia U. and an M.A. in drama therapy from CA Institute for Integral Studies.

True Story Theater

Franci Dumar

is a current Lesley University student studying Expressive Arts Therapy with interest in farm therapy. She has been a Playback artist for ten years.

True Story Theater

https://www.facebook.com/jasonjedrusiak

Jason Jedrusiak

is an aspiring play and drama therapist, and facilitator of yoga, theater, and social circus for all ages. Jason enjoys sharing perspective through storytelling, improvisation, and playfulness. He is a therapeutic hospital clown with Hearts and Noses and is starting a Theatre of the Oppressed group in Boston.

True Story Theater

Johnny Lapham

is an artist, actor, singer, and teacher working with issues of male behavior, positive sexuality, and white people working against racism.

True Story Theater

Kathleen Sills

is a professor at Merrimack College where she teaches theatre and directs. She has a masters degree in Expressive Therapies, loves to dance and is an avid Nia practitioner.

True Story Theater

www.linkedin.com/pub/mary-elizabeth-wheeler/a/254/612

Mary Elizabeth Wheeler

is an improvisational vocal performance artist, songwriter, song leader and coach. Co-creator of the SpiritSong process and the Mystic Soul CD, she has 30 years’ experience teaching Authentic VoiceWork. She directs Indigo River Consulting, Bringing the Authentic Voice to Life.

True Story Theater

www.linkedin.com/pub/mary-elizabeth-wheeler/a/254/612

Megan Lynes

Megan Lynes grew up in Boston, and is a Unitarian Universalist parish minister in Bedford, MA. She is an artist, activist, theatre fan and animal lover, and especially enjoys leading a middle school youth group.

True Story Theater

Melissa Nussbaum

is passionate about the possibility of theater to be a tool for social justice. All the better to do it by telling stories

True Story Theater

Myles Green

is an inquiry-based educator at Newton Public Schools and beyond. He passionately tends honeybees, teaches fermentation workshops and LOVES LIFE

True Story Theater

Paul Merrill

has returned to Boston where he is a trainer of Nonviolent Communication at NVC Boston. He is also a painter, and was lead vocalist in The Joan Group for ten years.

True Story Theater

Priscilla H. Sanville

Prilly is an advocate for culturally responsive teaching and social justice work through the arts with more than 35 years experience in schools and community organizations. She is the co-founder and former director of the Arts, Community and Education Masters degree at Lesley University.

True Story Theater

Shoshana Narva

is a licensed clinical social worker. She practices contact improvisation dance, authentic movement and clowning when she is not playing with True Story theatre. She loves stories!!!

True Story Theater

https://www.facebook.com/tdinaburg

Teresa Dias

began her career onstage at age 15, with the circus. In 1998, she co-created a trapeze act which toured North and South America and Europe, and performed for six years in Germany’s thriving Cabaret scene. Teresa holds a degree in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University.

True Story Theater

https://www.facebook.com/tonia.pinheiro

Tonia Pinheiro

is founder of Wake Up! Works and ISEEU Theater. She uses her love of improv, and her musical, professional, communications and spiritual knowledge and skills in service to individual, social, and planetary healing and conscious living. See wakeupworks.org

True Story Theater

Yaa Acheampong

Yaa is a graduate of Lesley University’s Drama Therapy program and Artistic & Education Director at Urban Improv. She believes the power of theatre and storytelling to foster connection and build community.